


Accidentally Engaged

by The_Risen_Phoenix



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Accidental Proposal, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Happy Ending, M/M, No Beta, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 07:49:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Risen_Phoenix/pseuds/The_Risen_Phoenix
Summary: Step 1 - Pretend to date.Step 2 - Break up.Step 3 - Remain friends regardless.Step 4 - Luxuriate in his mother not meddling in his love life anymore.Simple right?Desperate to get his Mother off his back, V asks Nero to pretend to be in a relationship with him.





	Accidentally Engaged

Nero leant back in the diner booth with a contemplative look upon his face.

“So let me get this straight,” he started slowly. “Your folks have been bothering you lately about still being single, and you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend to make them back off? Have I got that right?”

V hummed in agreement. “Yes, that sounds about right.”

“Ooookay then.” Nero's eyes turned skyward slightly. “So why don't you just tell them you're not interested and that'll be that?”

“Been there, tried that.” V lamented. “In a moment of panic I blurted out that I was already seeing someone, and they want to meet them because, obviously, they thought that I was lying.”

“Which you were.” Nero interjected.

“Yes, thanks for pointing that out Nero.” Nero shrugged unrepentantly. “But now I have a bit of a problem and I am begging you for your help.”

V turned his green eyes upon Nero's amused face, helpless pleading writ clear upon his features. Nero didn't want to do this; like _really_ didn't, but the longer he stared at his friend, the harder it became to say no.

“Gods dammit V! You aren't allowed to use those eyes on me! You promised!” Nero groaned, burying his head in his folded arms.

V smirked at him victoriously, knowing that Nero's words meant that he would agree to help him.

“I remember no such promise.” He denied. He did – he remembered promising Nero not to use them against him again, after the last debacle that he had gotten them into – but well desperate times called for desperate measures. And his well meaning mother had been trying to set him up on dates with 'that nice young man that I met down at the grocery store the other day' for weeks now.

Nero looked up at V with a half-hearted glare, and V smiled as innocently and nicely as he could.

“I mean, thank you Nero. You are a lifesaver, and I will be forever in your debt.” V grabbed one of Nero's hands within his own, pressing it between both of his.

Nero jerked his hand away with a snort; V letting out a little giggle. “Just tell me what I have to do ok? I am going to regret this so much. I already regret it.”

V finally sat back in his seat, a look of contemplation upon his handsome face. Wait....since when had Nero started thinking of V as handsome? Guy had been his best friend since they were kids, and never before had he thought of him that way. Oh well, Nero was comfortable enough in their friendship to be able to admit that, yeah V was hot, without freaking out about it. It was just a strange and unexpected thought, that was all.

“Well the fact that we have known each other for ages will probably go in our favour, so I doubt that we will have to do much there..... Maybe a few dates where people they know will see us? I'm sure they will report back to my mother about it. We will probably need to have dinner with my parents at least once too.”

“Yeah ok, that makes sense, I can do that.” Nero nodded agreeably, thinking that that wasn't too much out of the norm of what they did normally anyway.

“Vitale! What a surprise, I wasn't expecting to see you here today!” V's mother's voice broke into their conversation, as the woman herself trotted over happily. She turned as she noticed Nero sitting there also and greeted him too, as she slipped into the open seat beside him.

“Nero, so good to see you keeping my boy company as usual.”

Nero smiled demurely at the woman, marvelling for the millionth time just how different she was from her son. Where V was tall and nearly rail thin, his mother was definitely shorter than average and had a very curvy body. Her green eyes though, they were the same, as was the wicked smile that she could unleash upon you at any moment.

“Now V, I just met a lovely young man delivering a package, and it just so happens that he is both single and willing to go on a date with you! I showed him a few pictures that I had lying around the house, and he seemed very interested.”

Nero coughed to hide a laugh at how wooden V's smile had turned. It was times like this that Nero was very thankful that his father couldn't be bothered getting involved in his personal life, and his mother had decided that motherhood was not for her and sodded off when he was still young. But yeah, he could understand now why V had been desperate enough to beg for his help if this is what he had been constantly dealing with.

“Mum....” V tried to cut in, but his mother steam-rolled over him.

“Oh don't give me any more of that seeing someone already nonsense. You spend all of your time with Nero here, so there can't possibly be any time left over to be dating someone else.”

V happily took the opening that his mother had unwittingly provided him.

“That's because I am seeing Nero. It...we....I mean it's just a recent thing, moving from just being friends to more.”

Her piercing green eyes snapped to Nero, drilling in to him as though daring him to contradict V's words. V's eyes stared at him from across the table, begging him not to back out now, and Nero's fate was sealed.

“It's true Mrs V,” the name had been a long standing joke between them all for years; though now it seemed maybe he should have gone for a more formal tone? “V and I have felt a shifting in our friendship for a while now, but were wary about changing things. It's only recently that we've decided to take the leap and started anything official.”

More staring, and her lips pursed as though she wasn't sure whether to believe them or not. These were the same boys after all, that had once flooded the backyard and tried to insist that a stray tidal wave had hit only them, just because they had wanted to use the inflatable flamingo they had gotten on sale at the store.

“Then why aren't you sitting next to each other?” She asked curiously.

“It's...easier to see...each...other like this?” V responded questioningly.

His mother did not look convinced by V's answer. Nero panicked, surely their plan was about to fail before it had even began. He reached out to grab ahold of V's hand – V jerking slightly in surprise, before relaxing into the hold. He held up their twined hands towards his mother as though to say 'see?'. She sighed heavily, but seemed to be willing to play along for now.

“Hmm ok.” She turned to V next, a question on her lips. “V sweet can I trouble you both to help with carrying my shopping home? Your father was called away urgently so I am left without a car.”

“Oh I....” Nero trailed off nervously. He actually had plans to visit his Uncle after this, but he didn't want to leave if it would cause problems.

“Nero is actually just on his way out Mother, but I am free to help you.”

V heaved himself out of the booth and offered his mother a hand to help her up also. He looked ready to leave, a casual goodbye thrown over his shoulder towards Nero as was the norm, when his lips were covered unexpectedly by another warm pair. Pulling back and dragging a gentle hand down V's face, Nero smiled at his friend.

“Bye Love,” Nero said, leaning in, “have you forgotten we're meant to be dating?” he hissed in V's ear as he pulled back.

“Er, yes. Goodbye Nero.” V trailed after his softly tittering mother in a daze. He had not been expecting that, though he guessed he should have. Nero was apparently a very good actor.

“I would not have expected that you and Nero would ever start dating V dear, though I do happen to remember that terrible crush you had on him in high school....”

“Gods mother can we just forget that ever happened? I got over it long ago.”

“Obviously not.” His mother replied with a raised brow.

  
Dammit, she was right. V had always carried a small torch for his friend, but he had never tried to do anything about it. Never before had he felt he had a chance with Nero, and it was only desperation now that had forced V to beg for this favour.

“Well...it's different now.” V spoke quietly. “It's not a crush anymore.”

Seeming to sense the sincerity within V's words, his mother dropped the subject, much to his relief.

The next few months had been different to say the least. Nero and V spent just as much time together as ever, but now their greetings involved kisses; Nero's arm would wrap itself around V's waist as the walked or even when the stopped to look at something. Goodbyes also involved kissing, though V made sure to keep everything chaste, never letting things go too far. He wanted to be able to remain friends with Nero after this farce was over, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to go back to just being friends if he let this go too far. Even now, his heart ached slightly at the thought of losing even this when everything ended.

Nero himself was having a war within his own mind also. He had never really thought of V as anything but a friend....but lately with their fake dating...stray thoughts about just how nice this all was, kept slipping into his mind. Not that he thought that V would ever truly want to date him –boy had much too much sense for that – but....it was nice having a partner that had a lot of the same interests as he did. Someone who knew him inside and out; someone that he didn't even have to use words at times to be understood.

But that was just fools thoughts; this was all just for show and everything would return to normal once V got his parents off of his back. Though Nero did wonder if they would be happy with V still remaining friends with him after he supposedly 'broke up' with V.

Nero couldn't remember ever spending so much time with any of his other lovers, but he guessed that V was really playing up their relationship to convince his parents. Though if you asked Nero, he would say that it didn't feel like he was spending any extra time with V than normal. Huh...maybe that was why his other lovers had grown angry and jealous, before they broke up with him.

The pair had even spent a couple of very awkward family dinners with the older couple. The normally relaxed and casual atmosphere, replaced with awkward silences and shifting eyes. At one of the family dinners, V's mother had still invited another potential prospect for V to date, as though she still didn't believe the validity of their relationship, and was testing them.

To say that Nero took great offence at that, was an understatement. That night Nero made sure to pay extra attention to V, holding his hand and laying little kisses on his cheeks whenever he felt they were appropriate. And there were a lot of times he thought that they were appropriate. Nero found great pleasure in making V blush, telling himself that it was because he liked embarrassing his friend.

The other man had looked supremely uncomfortable the entire night. He had not known that V was already seeing someone, and had apologised profusely to them both for the misunderstanding and intrusion. V had been all understanding smiles and soft words, and Nero had feel annoyance at his graciousness. Why was V treating this man so nicely? He had him now didn't he? He didn't need to play nice with other men.

Or wait....was V actually interested in this man? Would he want to pursue something with him when they 'broke up'? Something dark rose up within Nero at the thought, but he pushed it down ruthlessly. This was all just pretend and it didn't matter who V saw after they spilt. It wouldn't be any of Nero's business who V decided to date, just like it wouldn't be any of V's business if Nero wanted to date ten new women when they were done. Though he wouldn't comment, V _would_ probably look at him disapprovingly.

After that night, anytime any man came and talked to V, Nero got testy and grouchy. Even if it was just the boy – barely old enough for a job – down at the grocery store, that had smiled at V in greeting. Nero had scowled so fiercely at the poor boy, that he had stuttered and promptly dropped their change all over the ground. Nero had had to grit his teeth to stop himself saying something truly horrible, when V had smiled kindly at the boy and helped him pick everything up. He had petted the poor child's hand soothingly, and Nero and nearly blown a gasket.

V had torn strips off of him when they left, berating Nero for terrifying the poor boy, and demanding to know why he was in such a bad mood to start with. Nero had stuttered out a half-arsed excuse, and V had not looked impressed. He had ended up looking blankly over at Nero.

“Nero,” V had sighed tiredly. “Go home and cool off. You've been acting strangely for a while now.”

“But what about the double date with your friends later?” Nero had panicked. There was no way he wanted V to go out alone with his friends drinking – they were almost as bad as V's mother, though they were more likely to try to hook V up with someone rather than get him hitched. Having a boyfriend already didn't seem to deter them all that much. Last time, Nero had had to rescue a very tipsy V, from being led towards a darkened corner by a very handsy patron.

“It'll be fine Nero. I'll just tell them that you are unwell. No one will suspect anything is wrong.” V ran his hands through his already tussled hair.

Nero's eyes tracked the movement, watching the dark strands fall stylishly back into place.

“Perhaps it is time that we start sowing the seeds of dissent between us. That way our break up will not be such a surprise.” V pondered.

Nero was flabbergasted. No, he didn't want to do that. It was too soon. Much too soon, and he told V as much.

“Surely such a short relationship wouldn't garner you much of a reprieve would it?” Nero desperately questioned.

V hummed in though. “Perhaps not. But this arrangement is clearly bothering you, so we should end this soon.”

And with a last pat upon his arm, V bid Nero goodbye and waved down a taxi. Nero stood there dumbfounded and not sure what was going on anymore. Had V found someone else that he wanted to be with now, and Nero and their fake relationship was in the way of that? Nero felt depressed all of a sudden. How silly though, to feel so bad about the end of a relationship that wasn't even real in the first place. And it's not like he and V would stop seeing each other – they'd still be friends after all.

It's just.....Nero didn't want to finish that thought. He turned and slowly made his way home like V had instructed.

Things did not get better for Nero from that moment on. V had started his break up plan, putting distance between the pair, and avoiding the kisses that Nero kept trying to lay – and it was pissing Nero off. Each kiss that V avoided sent a stab of irritation through Nero, until he finally cornered V in his parent's living room, caging him up against the wall and ignoring the tittering spectators sitting there.

Nero took V's face in his hands and drew the other's face towards his own. He leant forwards and captured V's lips in a searing kiss. Nero could feel V's surprise and resistance to the kiss, and it just made Nero press in closer, bodies aligning together, with not an inch between them. It wasn't until and awkward cough pulled them back to reality that Nero realised just what he had done.

“What are you doing?” Nero pulled back at the coldness within V's voice, searching his face and seeing something foreign within his green eyes.

“Kissing you?” Nero replied dazedly.

“Why?” V demanded. “When you have not even bothered to be around, and spend even a little of your precious time with me lately?”

Oh, so that's what V was doing. He was setting the scene for their falling out.

“I am not the only one to have been avoiding the other.” Nero shot back, still stung by the accusation, false as it was.

V's family looked between themselves nervously. What was going on here?

“You've been acting weirdly lately, and I have to wonder what is even going on through your mind?”

Ok....Nero couldn't even deny that accusation, but that didn't mean he wanted V to bring it up here and now in front of all of these other people.

V's mother looked shocked – she have never heard her son speak to Nero this way before.

“It's because....I want...” Nero paused. This was it. This was the moment when they were to break up. Now. Here.

Nero felt irritation well up in him. Who was V to get to decide that? Nero didn't think that it should be his decision. So without a second thought, he threw the biggest spanner in the works that he possibly could.

“I wanted to ask you to marry me!” Nero yelled out.

V's mouth dropped open. A startled 'What?” falling from his lips as the room went deathly quiet.

“Would you care to repeat that?” V questioned softly, shock writ clear upon his face. This hadn't been part of the plan. What the hell was Nero even thinking?

“I..I want you to marry me.” Nero repeated. Oh shit, he had really fucked up now; V looked like he would gladly kill him right then and there, but there was no turning back.

“We'll leave you two to talk,” V's mother broke the tense atmosphere, ushering everyone out of the room.

“Accept him Vitale. You have managed to go from being just friends, to a fake relationship and now a marriage proposal!” V looked over at his mother's whispered words, shocked. “Oh please Vitale, I'm your mother. I can always tell when you are lying to me.”

And with that she too left the room, leaving the pair staring at each other silently.

“She knew we weren't really dating,” V said dazedly.

Nero laughed softly. “I'm unsurprised. She always knew when we were up to something. But that's not what we're meant to be talking about is it?”

V whirled upon Nero in anger. “Just what do you think you were doing? Proposing? You were meant to be breaking up with me!”

“I didn't want to dammit!” Nero yelled back, shocking V. “I don't want to break up with you V.” He repeated softer.

“B-but why?” V stuttered, confused, stumbling backwards and collapsing onto one of the couches.

“Because the last few months of fake dating you has been amazing. I've always loved spending time with you anyway, but I've grown to love the casual affection that we have been showing for the others. I love it when you twine you fingers between mine, and the little kisses you leave on the corner of my mouth. I love how you can make everything better, just by being here with me, how everything is brighter because you are mine.”

“Nero...” V didn't know what to say. His heart was pounding within his chest, hope starting to bloom slowly. But he was scared – scared that Nero didn't mean what he thought he did, or that he would change his mind.

“No V, listen to me. I've never felt like this about anyone else I've ever dated before. When you leave each night, I wish that you had stayed. I think about you more and more to the point where it is difficult to think about anything else. And the dreams....”

Nero flushed a bright red, and V quickly turned the same colour once he realised just what Nero was implying. He stuttered and covered his face up, begging Nero to stop talking.

“V, I know that this wasn't meant to be real. But somewhere along the way it became real for me. Every man you spoke to, filled me with jealousy. I kept wondering, 'is this the sort of man that V likes?' or 'would V rather date this man than me?' Please V, tell me you feel the same?”

Nero crouched down, tugging V's hands gently away from his face. He was shocked when he saw that V's face was covered in tears, unsure of what he had said to make the other man cry.

“Stupid Nero. I've been in love with you for years.” V sobbed.

A huge smile broke out across Nero's face. “Does that me we are dating for real now then?” He asked ecstatically.

“Yeah, I guess it does.” V replied, hiccuping a little.

Nero pulled V into his arms then, finally able to kiss him for real. Their lips met, soft and sweet and filled with so much longing. They parted briefly, lips meeting again; this time more passionately, but not taking it too far. V was still aware enough to realise they were in his parent's living room.

V pulled back slowly, a mischievous smirk upon his face.

“You do know that regardless of the fact that Mum knows we were faking our entire relationship, she is going to hold you to that marriage proposal right?”

Nero pulled back fully, a look of dismay upon his face, causing V to laugh heartily at him.

“Well....shit.”


End file.
